The provision of devices for illumination of automobiles is known. For example, it is known to place lighting devices for illuminating the interior of the automobile. It is also known to place lighting devices to illuminate the area immediately adjacent the automobile. An example of this latter device is a lamp placed on the inside of a door and activated to illuminate the area beneath the door when it is open.
Another example of a known lighting device includes an elongate lighting strip that is placed on a plate extending upward from a running board step. The lighting strip in that device comprises a hollow tubular element with a plurality of individual light bulbs in the cavity. Other running board lighting systems attach discrete lighting elements to various parts of the running board or to separate elements that are attached to the running board.